Jan 02 (Asahi) - Visitors are flocking to an observation facility here designed by a famed architect and offering a stunning view of iconic Mount Fuji.
Nihondaira Yume Terrace is situated atop a 300-meter-high mountain, giving tourists a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
Mount Fuji and Shimizu Port can be seen on the northeastern side of the deck, which has a circumference of 200 meters.
At 3,776 meters high, Mount Fuji is Japan's highest peak. But it is often obscured by clouds in summer, and can be more easily viewed in autumn and winter.
The Southern Alps lie to the north of the observation facility, while the Izu Peninsula, a designated UNESCO Global Geopark, can be seen on the east side behind Suruga Bay.
The initial annual target of 300,000 visitors by Shizuoka Prefecture and Shizuoka city, which built the facility, was reached within just three months.
A total of 1.18 million people visited Nihondaira Yume Terrace by Nov. 2, the first anniversary of the opening of the facility and an affiliated exhibition center, which were both designed by Kengo Kuma, the designer of the new National Stadium.
